Workpiece finishing machine

ABSTRACT

A machine including first and second cylinders, a piston supported in each cylinder and constructed to move back and forth therein to force a flowable abrasive composition back and forth from one cylinder to the other through a workpiece supported by a tool between the two cylinders, the first of the cylinders being provided with threads about the outside thereof and being supported in a threaded bore in a support means, and said first cylinder being provided with means to rotate it with respect to its support and the second cylinder to clamp the tool supporting the workpiece with respect to the cylinders.

United States Patent 1 Perry 1 Nov. 6, 1973 WORKPIECE FINISHING MACHINE [76] Inventor:

22 Filed:

211 Appl. No.: 264,431

Kenneth E. Perry, 27 Lathrop Rd.,

Wellesley, Mass.

June 20, 1972 [52] U.S. Cl. 51/2 R, 51/317 [51] Int. Cl B24b 27/00, B24b 19/00 [58] Field of Search 51/2 R, 7, 317, 318

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,521,412 7/1970 McCarty 5l/3l7 3,583,103 6/1971 3,039,234 6/1962 3,634,973 1/1972 3,699,725 10/1972 Feldcamp 51/317 Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly Att0rneyDonald Brown et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A machine including first and second cylinders, a piston supported in each cylinder and constructed to move back and forth therein to force a flowable abrasive composition back and forth from one cylinder to the other through a workpiece supported by a tool between the two cylinders, the first of the cylinders being provided with. threads about the outside thereof and being supported in a threaded bore in a support means, and said'first cylinder being provided with means to rotate it with respect to its support and the second cylinder to clamp the tool supporting the workpiece with re spect to the cylinders.

12 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDNUV ems 3.769.751

SHEET 1 UF 2 PATENTEDHDY 8 I973 SHEET 2 OF 2 :Illlvl w B a w 5 o w 8 4 8 l 1L. -|-1 L \\x\\\\\\\ Ill- 8 a m H a w w) q .L. I- Y A 5 1Z4. 4 M m i y 8 FT. L I... m M Ml... 4 MW FIGZ BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a new and improved machine construction for holding and then forcing a flowable abrasive composition through a workpiece.

Machines of this general type have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,346,228 and 3,039,234 and are also sold by Dynetics Corp. of Woburn, Massachusetts under the trademark Dynaflow. In such machines a flowable abrasive composition is forced under pressure against a surface of a workpiece to be finished.

Suitable flowable abrasive compositions for use in this invention are also disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,346,228 or are sold by Dynetics Corp. of Woburn, Massachusetts, under the trademark Dynaflow.

Although the foregoing mentioned machines are quite usable, some are more complex than necessary in cases where few parts are to be processed. For example, in experimental or laboratory work where parts are not being finished in production quantities a less complex machine finds particular utility.

Laboratory workers also tend to want to work with their hands and move parts into and out of the machine to observe the finish of the workpiece after a few passes of the abrasive composition and therefore a machine having the capability of being hand operated without requiring a great deal of manipulative. skill is particularly desirable. Furthermore, such a machine should also be less costly than the prior art so as to make it more attractive for laboratory.

In addition, the machine of this invention can also be used to finish parts in production quantities in situations where the hand locating of tools and workpieces carried thereby as well as the hand loading of the abrasive composition into the machine is not objectionable.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In order to meet the desirable feature set forth above, there is now provided as disclosed herein anew and improved workpiece finishing machine which is (l) relatively inexpensive to construct, (2) lends itself to experimental or laboratory work and (3).facilitates the rapid insertion of a workpiece to be finished by the machine or removal therefrom after finishing.

In the new and improved construction, two cylinders one being moveable relative to the other are provided with pistons which are driven in a push-pull fashion to force an abrasive composition through a workpiece supported in a tool clamped with respect to the cylinders. As one of the important features of the invention, one of the cylinders is provided with threads about the outer side wall thereof and is mounted in a threaded bore of support means so that the threaded cylinder not only serves the function of locating a piston and storing abrasive composition, but also does double duty since it is adjustable with respect to the other of the cylinders or obviously any extension thereof and permits a tool to be secured or clamped in a position between the cylinders merely by rotating the threaded cylinder.

As a further improvement, the piston of the threaded cylinder is also coupled to an adjustably positioned brace supported by a pluralityof rods in a manner so that the piston supported by the threaded cylinder can also be located with respect to the threaded cylinder.

Thus with the adjustment of a few parts the new and improved machine of this invention may be set up and used to finish parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of the finishing machine according to the invention with the cover removed; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Reference should now be had to FIGS; 1 and 2 which illustrates a machine for forcing an abrasive composition back and forth 'to smooth and remove material from a workpiece. A

At 10 there is shown in phantom, a cabinet supported by legs 11 resting on the floor 12. The cabinet supports a base plate 13 at the top thereof from which there is supported the operating parts of the machine.

A lower cylinder is shown at 14 and includes a support portion 15 which is seated on top of the base plate 13 and is secured thereto by screws 17. Positioned within the lower cylinder is a piston 18 (only a portion of which is shown in FIG. 2 since it corresponds in structure to the piston shown positioned in the upper cylinder yet to be described) which is coupled to a piston holder 13 (again as will be described with reference to upper cylinder) which in turn is pivotly coupled to a rod end 20 by a pivot pin 21. The rod ends are in the shape of the ends of the conventional piston rod having a bore for the passage of a pin.

The rod end is threaded and is screwed into a threaded bore of a piston rod 22. The piston rod 22 is thence coupled via a second threaded. rod end 23 by a pivot pin 24 to a lower brace. 25. Thus both the piston 18 and the piston rod 22 are rotatable with respect to the brace 25 and with respect to each other in the event that something prevents of the piston.

' The. lower brace 25 is coupled to and is driven up and down by drive means comprising two hydraulic devices 26 and 27. The-hydraulic devices 26 and 27 include cylinders 26A and 27A both supported conventionally by flanges welded to the cylinders and bolted to the base plate 13.

The cylinders26A and 27A are provided with piston rods 26B and 278 which are secured to the lower brace by bolts 28 as shown. The piston rods 26B and 27B are adapted to move up into the hollow protective covers 26C and 27C. i

The controls and fluid source and plumbing for the hydraulic drive means as well as the hydrauliccylinders themselves are quite conventional and accordingly will not be further described herein.

At 31 and 32 in the drawing there are shown two hollow guide posts which are provided with shoulders 31A and 32A for supporting a top platen 33 thereon as shown. The platen 33 is held in place against the shoulders by providing the top portions 313 and 328 with threads and then using bolts 35 as shown. The platen 33 is provided with bores 33A for permitting the threaded portions 318 and 328 to extend therethrough. 1

The top platen supports an upper cylinder 40 in a threaded borej.33B provided therein. The cylinder 40 held in axial alignment with lower cylinder 14 is provided with threads 40A over at least a portion of the outer side wall thereof, said threads mating with the threads of the bore 338 so that the cylinder when rotated may be raised or lowered with respect to the lower cylinder 14.

In order to lock a workpiece holding tool 45 securely in place when the cylinder 40 is lowered to position'it between the cylinders, the thread of both the bore and the cylinder 40 are preferably constructed with a locking pitch which is preferably defined as being between about 7.5 to 2.

The threads can be constructed of many conventional designs with the Acme thread being most preferred and a V- pitch thread also being preferred.

to permit the cylinder 40 to be expeditiously lowered or raised (by rotating it) the cylinder is preferably provided with gripper means such as a ring 46 secured thereto (e.g. welded thereto) having a plurality of bores 46A formed therein into' which a rod like too] (not shown) may be inserted to obtain a mechanical advantage when rotating the cylinder 40.

The cylinder 40 is also provided with a piston mounted by a bolt 51 to a piston holder 52 which in turn is coupled to a rod end 53 by a pivot pin 54. The rod end 53 is provided with threads and is supported by a threaded bore 55A ofa piston rod 55. The piston rod 55 has a lock collar 56 supported thereon for limiting the upward position of the piston 50.

The rod 55 is also. coupled to an endrod 57 having threads which engage threads of a bore 553 formed in the rod 55. The end rod 57 is positioned in a cutout 58A formed in an upper brace 58 and is connected to a pivot pin 59 supported by the brace 58 within the cutout. It should also be understood that the end rod 23 is supported in a like manner by the lower brace 25 in cutout 25A formed therein.

The upper brace 58 is itself supported for adjustable movement (up or down) to locate the piston 40 (when the cylinder 40 is rotated). This is accomplished by providing rods 60 having threaded portions 60A which extend through bores 588 formed in the brace 58. In particular the rods 60 extend through hollow guide posts 61 and '62 secured (e.g., by welding) to the bottom of the base plate 13 as well as through the hollow guide posts 31 and 32 as shown.

The rods 60 act as drive rods for the piston 50 and as such are also threaded at their lower end 60B and extend through bores 25B and are held in place by nuts 62 so that the rods move up and down with the lower brace when driven by the hydraulic drive means (i.e., the rods 26B and 27B). Stops 63 are also provided on the rods 60 as shown to limit their upward movement and are also positioned on thethreaded portion 60B.

The brace 58 is held in place and located on the rod portions 60A by speed handles 70 having threaded bores mounted on the rods 60 as shown.

At 73 in the drawing, end caps are provided which are secured to the rods 60 by bolts as shown.

In its preferred construction, the cylinders 14 and 40 are provided with interior cylindrical liners 80 which are secured to the interior walls thereof. The liners comprise cast poly-urethane shells 80A bonded to a plastic-metal primer shell 808 secured to the interior metal wall of the cylinders 14 and 40. The cast urethane shell may be constructed of Monothane brand polyurethane rubber sold by INDPOL of Cucamonga, California, and the primer used may be Monoprime sold by the same company.

In addition, it its preferred construction the pistons 18 and 50 are constructed of nylon and are each provided with an O ring 81 such as constructed of polyurethane, BUNA-N and which moves against the liner surface A. The O ring and liner act in combination as a seal and prevents the flow of abrasive composition beyond the pistons.

' In operation, the abrasive composition is first loaded by hand into the interior 14A (see FIG. 2) of the cylinder 14. Thereafter a tool 45 for holding a workpiece 83 (such as a plate having a plurality of bores 83A therethrough) between two halves 45Aand 45B thereof is positioned on the open end of the cylinder 14 (see FIG.

Now the cylinder 40-is rotated downwardly by rotation of the ring 46 to lock the tool 45 in place as shown in FIG. 2. Thereafter or during this procedure, the position of the piston 50 is also adjusted by relocating the brace 58 if need be.

At this time the machine is turned on and the pistons 18 and 50 begin to move in a push-pull fashion (that is both are raised or lowered at the same time) to force abrasive composition between the cylinders 14 and 40 which are in flow alignment through the bore 45C of the tool 45, and thence through the bores 83A of the workpiece 83.

As the abrasive composition moves back and forth it causes the surfaces of thebores 83A to be smoothed. The pistons 18 and 50 are driven by the hydraulic cylinder rods 27A and 27B through the braces 25 and 58 and rod 60 asshown and previously described.

I claim: A

1. In a machine for forcing an abrasive composition back and forth through or about a workpiece, the machine having a first cylinder having a piston positioned therein, a second cylinder having a piston positioned therein, first support means for supporting the first cylinder, second support means for supporting the second cylinder in flow alignment with said first cylinder, means for moving the pistons back and forth in a pushpull fashion, said second cylinder being supported by said second means so that it can be moved towards and away from said first cylinder to hold a tool supporting a workpiece therebetween, the improvement of said second cylinder having threads on the outer sidewall thereof over a portion thereof with the threaded outer sidewall being supported in a threaded bore of said second support means.

2. Ina machine according to claim 1 in which said second cylinder includes gripper means to rotate said second cylinder. I

3. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said gripper means comprises a ring rigidly coupled to the outer sidewall of the second cylinder having at least one bore to insert a tool to rotate said second cylinder.

4. In a machine according to claim 3 in which means is provided for adjusting the position of the piston located in the second cylinder.

5. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the pitch of the threads is between 7.5 to 2.

6. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the threads are at a locking pitch. I

7. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the pistons are pivotly coupled to piston rods.

8. In a machine according to claim 7 in which the piston rods are pivotly coupled to braces for driving the piston rods back and forth.

9. in a machine for forcing an abrasive composition back and forth through or about a workpiece, the machine comprising a first cylinder having a piston therein, first means for supporting the first cylinder, a piston rod coupled to the piston and to drive means, a second cylinder, second means for supporting the second cylinder in flow alignment with the first cylinder, the improvement comprising said second cylinder outer wall provided with threads, and said second support means provided with a bore having threads to engage the threads of the second cylinder to support the second cylinder when it is threaded into the bore, said second cylinder also provided with a piston coupled to said drive means, said second cylinder being rotatable towards said first cylinder to clamp a workpiece holder therebetween so that abrasive composition positioned in one of said pistons may be driven back and forth through or against a workpiece supported by the workpiece holder.

10. In a machine according to claim 9 in which the drive means coupled to the piston positioned in the second cylinder includes an upper brace positioned about a pair of guide rods, said guide rods being threaded over a portion thereof and said brace being held in place by holder means on each of the guide rods threadly engaging the threads of guide rods, said brace being positionable along the guide rods to set the position of the piston within the second cylinder.

11. In a machine according to claim 9 in which a ring having at least one bore is fixedly secured to the second cylinder.

12. In a machine according to claim 10 in which the holder means comprises a pair of threaded handles positioned on each guide rod with one positioned on either side of the brace. 

1. In a machine for forcing an abrasive composition back and forth through or about a workpiece, the machine having a first cylinder having a piston positioned therein, a second cylinder having a piston positioned therein, first support means for supporting the first cylinder, second support means for supporting the second cylinder in flow alignment with said first cylinder, means for moving the pistons back and forth in a pushpull fashion, said second cylinder being supported by said second means so that it can be moved towards and away from said first cylinder to hold a tool supporting a workpiece therebetween, the improvement of said second cylinder having threads on the outer sidewall thereof over a portion thereof with the threaded outer sidewall being supported in a threaded bore of said second support means.
 2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said second cylinder includes gripper means to rotate said second cylinder.
 3. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said gripper means comprises a ring rigidly coupled to the outer sidewall of the second cylinder having at least one bore to insert a tool to rotate said second cylinder.
 4. In a machine according to claim 3 in which means is provided for adjusting the position of the piston located in the second cylinder.
 5. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the pitch of the threads is between 7.5* to 2*.
 6. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the threads are at a locking pitch.
 7. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the pistons are pivotly coupled to piston rods.
 8. In a machine according to claim 7 in which the piston rods are pivotly coupled to braces for driving the piston rods back and forth.
 9. In a machine for forcing an abrasive composition back and forth through or about a workpiece, the machine comprising a first cylinder having a piston therein, first means for supporting the first cylinder, a piston rod coupled to the piston and to drive means, a second cylinder, second means for supporting the second cylinder in flow alignment with the first cylinder, the improvement comprising said second cylinder outer wall provided with threads, and said second support means provided with a bore having threads to engage the threads of the second cylinder to support the second cylinder when it is threaded into the bore, said second cylinder also provided with a piston coupled to said drive means, said second cylinder being rotatable towards said first cylinder to clamp a workpiece holder therebetween so that abrasive composition positioned in one of said pistons may be driven back and forth through or against a workpiece supported by the workpiece holder.
 10. In a machine according to claim 9 in which the drive means coupled to the piston positioned in the second cylinder includes an upper brace positioned about a pair of guide rods, said guide rods being threaded over a portion thereof and said brace being held in place by holder means on each of the guide rods threadly engaging the threads of guide rods, said brace being positionable along the guide rods to set the position of the piston within the second cylinder.
 11. In a machine according to claim 9 in which a ring having at least one bore is fixedly secured to the second cylinder.
 12. In a machine according to claim 10 in which the holder means comprises a pair of tHreaded handles positioned on each guide rod with one positioned on either side of the brace. 